In my journeys with other heart-centered teachers of contemplative work, some great questions about trauma-informed teaching and meditation-facilitation have come up. I feel that, as leaders in our communities, we have a responsibility to do the best we can to bring specific care to folks who have experienced trauma (which, as it turns out, is […]
HeartWorks Blog
Reframing our Critical Internal Messages
Our inner critic is culturally-created from a specific fear – we can be counter-cultural and rework our inner critic’s messages from a place of love.
Tending to the Outer Critics
We can’t easily change how someone considers us, but we do have some influence over how we perceive our relationships and the people we are in contact with.
Finding Our Compassionate Meditation Posture
We’re not all able or interested in sitting cross-legged during meditation, so it’s valuable to consider some options for supporting your body as you practice.
Balancing Power in Our Stress and Trauma Work
Much of our trauma and stress arises in relationships. Trauma and stress resulting from relationships are a byproduct of not having power in a relationship – someone else has “power over” us.
Social Justice Begins with Self-Compassion for Our Body
When we have unresolved animosity toward our body from trauma or cultural messages, it’s not surprising that we have trouble doing things like going to the gym or resisting that bucket of ice cream.
Feeling Emotions in the Body, Connecting Values, and Self-Soothing
In Somatic Self-Compassion Online this week we’re exploring Staci K. Haines’ quote, “In listening to the body we know what we must care about. Core values come from felt senses, not from thought schema.” I’m fascinated by Staci’s quote, and feel a deep, yet unclear connection to her words.
Tuning in to Body Wisdom (and why we don’t)
Our cultural conditioning has generally encouraged us to cease listening to the wisdom of our body, and as a result we are cut off from a vast source of wisdom that is literally with us all the time. Why don’t we tune into the wisdom of our body? Here’s my exploration:
Mindfulness is the Mother of Equanimity; Self-Compassion is the Midwife.
Practicing self-compassion is an important part of the equation to help us navigate through mindfulness toward equanimity.
Navigating the Window of Tolerance: Titration During Internal Adventures
To titrate our experience is to intentionally keep ourselves in a state of safeness, in our window of tolerance, through opening and closing our exposure to stimulation.
To My Body in Pain…
To my dear body in pain
I’m so sorry you’re having a hard time right now. I admit I find it hard to stay connected with you right now, but I care for you deeply so I’m really going to bring my self-compassion practice in to be with you, to keep you company, to let you know that I see and hear you, and to see what we might do together.
The Only Friend We Can Ever Rely On
Even though my body hurt from unsuccessful attempts to find sleeping postures that nurtured my internal organs and my limbs, I searched inside her for support. Could I lean on her at this time? I longed for a feeling of safety, of uncomplicatedness, of refuge.
